Senate advances measure bucking Trump on Russia sanctions

Source: The Hill | January 15, 2019 | Jordain Carney

The Senate voted to advance legislation blocking President Trump’s plan to lift sanctions against three Russian companies despite an eleventh-hour effort by the administration to kill the bill.

Senators voted 57-42 to begin debating the resolution, with only a simple majority needed to get over the initial hurdle.

Though only a procedural vote, it’s the latest foreign policy break between the Trump administration and Senate Republicans, who have been wary of his warmer rhetoric toward Moscow.

It comes amid reports that the president has discussed pulling the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

“I do disapprove of the easing of the sanctions because I think it sends the wrong message to Russia and to the oligarch and close ally of Mr. Putin, Oleg Deripaska, who will in my judgement continue to maintain considerable [ownership] under the Treasury’s plan,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters.

In addition to Collins, GOP Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Tom Cotton (Ark.), Steve Daines (Mont.) Cory Gardner (Colo.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), John Kennedy (La.), Martha McSally (Ariz.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.) voted to proceed to the resolution on Tuesday.

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